Auto driver's pathetic suicide attempt reveals traffic fine menace

A pathetic suicide attempt by an auto-driver has brought to light the issue of unpaid traffic fines on vehicles running in the city.

On Tuesday morning, auto-driver Mahesh rode his vehicle recklessly. Police, who stopped him near KC General Hospital in Malleswaram grounds for jumping the signal, also found him without his kaki uniform.

On entering his plate number in their PDA, police realized that Mahesh had 32 traffic breaches on his auto and racked up a hefty sum of Rs 3300 fine, including the two violations for which he was caught on Tuesday.

Warning that they would seize his vehicle if he failed to pay up the full penalty made the auto-driver cry. He told police that he was in a major financial mess and had just spent a huge sum on his son's hospitalization.

A desperate Mahesh then went sprawling under the wheels of an approaching BMTC bus and was saved since the vehicle was moving slowly.

Police and by-standars whisked the agitated driver to safety and enquired about his financial condition. Fortunately for Mahesh, a friend who passed by that side cleared the due amount.

"He paid Rs 3300, including the fine for riding his auto without having his uniform on," a senior police official said.

Police pointed out that Mahesh's case is not an exception. Out of the top ten vehicles booked for multiple traffic violations, seven are passenger autorickshaws.

Saleem Pasha is a case in point. Keeping his auto active in Lalbagh's Sudhamanagara locality, Pasha has a staggering 103 traffic breach complaints against his vehicle. The other six autorickshaws in police's A-list has 85 to 63 cases against them.

"We will intimate these auto drivers about the pending penalties," a police official said. "If they fail to pay, we will seize their vehicles."

Topping the list is a maxi-cab with plate number KA-50-1053 that racked up 105 traffic breaches. The vehicle owned by Sarojamma G, is found to be active in DB Sandra in Vidyaranyapura.

Police said they would soon ask the owner to either pay up the fine or let his vehicle be impounded.

*A friend paid up the fines for Mahesh